This invention relates to registers and more particularly to an improved digital odometer having an electronic display and a nondestructive memory.
As automobiles become smaller for economy, the available space for locating an odometer cable under the vehicle dash is restricted. The cost of the odometer cable and the difficulty in locating the cable under the vehicle dash add significantly to the cost of the vehicle. Furthermore, the odometer cable is failure prone, particularly where the cable must follow a tortuous path due to space limitations. The space limitations under the vehicle dash and the tortuous path make it extremely difficult for a mechanic to replace an odometer cable which has failed.
It is desirable to replace a strictly mechanical odometer normally found in vehicles with an electronic odometer to eliminate problems with the odometer cable. However, electronic odometers have not been adopted since in the past, electronic odometers have had a destructable memory. In other words, if the vehicle battery is disconnected or power otherwise is interrupted to the odometer, the accumulated distance count will be eliminated from the odometer's memory. The is not acceptable since laws in many jurisdictions require a permanent, nondestructive total mileage indication on all vehicles to prevent deception at the time the vehicles are sold.